And I quote......
" TURN OFF the T.V,, TURN OFF the Video games and READ to your child. "!
President Obama ROCKS ! ! ! !
Amen Barack... !!!!
The responsibility of our child's education DOES lie in the hands of the parents. When was the last time you heard a president actually "talk" about family values and the RESPONSIBILITY of parents?
How refreshing...
Its about time we got back to what should REALLY matters . And what REALLY matters starts at home. !
Being a parent is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT job you will ever have. To teach your child to be a better person for your family,, for themselves and for the world. . I dont know about you,, but thats enough motivation to get me movin every day...
On that note,,, this is what I will be reading to Lily tomorrow.. One of my favorite new Barefoot books,,,, "You and Me"
I LOVE LOVE this book and I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading to my children..
How about you ??
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Chaos of Childhood
I am NOT ok with "CHAOS" ,,, it stresses me out. I like things in order.
When I start something I like to finish it and when I do something,, i "like" to do it to the "best of my ability" These are things about me, that as a mom, are more to my detriment than to my favor.
The above statements can no longer hold water when you become a mom,, a stay at home mom even moreso, Starting something I finish ?? HAH !!!! yeah right,, were lucky if we get a 1/4 of the way through. Doing things to the "best of my ability" has been replaced with ,, doing things "good enough"
I'm trying to appreciate the chaos of childhood , instead of stressing about the organized childhood chaos we encounter EVERY day.. I know all too well,, it will be over before it started and you will find yourself yearning for it,,, wondering "why" your teenager would rather watch the SAME SHOW you are watching, alone,, in his room, in seclusion,, rather than with you..
The chaos of childhood I speak of is this,,,,
You know,, the messy living room filled with every brightly colored plastic toy known to man,, That no matter how many times you put away in the "toy bin" or on the cute cubicle shelf,, still ends up in the middle of your living room. !!!!
The food scraps on the floor underneath the high chair that for the life of you ,,, NEVER seem to go away no matter how many times a day you sweep and vacuum them. The laundry piles that go unadressed
The food scraps on the floor underneath the high chair that for the life of you ,,, NEVER seem to go away no matter how many times a day you sweep and vacuum them. The laundry piles that go unadressed
The chaos doesnt go away with time,, it just takes a unique turn,,, take a stroll into my teenagers bedroom and you will sure to be amazed and disgusted at what you will find piling up[ or even growing in his bedroom :)
Then,, my lovely little plum,, my 2 year old daughter does something like this, ( see pic above) and I am reminded that "Childhood Chaos" is a work of art,, one to be appreciated. One to be relished and one to NEVER be taken for granted,,, before you know it,, the neatly lined rubber duckies and fishies will have disappeared from your now "Serene" and "clean" bathroom ledge and you will find yourself yearning for those neatly aligned rubber duckies and fishies,,, And feeling like something was missing,,,
Thank you Lily for your wonderful work of tubby time art.... it made me smile today... ...
" Simple Happy Days" - taken from my other blog..
Have you ever had a day where you just WANT to be happy. You yearn to find the simple things in life that TRULY make you happy.
If your ever wanting to find out where to seek true joy and happiness, you can see that in the eyes of a toddler walking and running through the leaves. A single leaf can bring a smile to her face. A single leaf can bring her happiness and make her mind fill with wonder and awe. Before the time hits when children are taught "learned' behavior and material desires ,,, true happiness and wonder can be found in the simple things. Like nature. What a beautiful gift.
If only we all could run with abandon like children and think with unbridled amazement and awe. I have reached a point in my life where simple things mean SO MUCH MORE than the large material valued items that so many people seek to have. I find this joy and happiness in my children. Yesterday imparticular I had one of those "Simple happy days" I wished I had my camera with me, as I like to capture these moments in picture,, but sadly I didnt. Hope my words can help eveyrone to envision what I was seeing this day. Here is what I posted in my daughters journal.
Watching you experience simple joys really truly make me feel blessed. You make me see life through a new set of eyes. It's like ive been blind all this time and watchng you makes me see how incredible life can be. Makes me stop and think and KNOW what TRULY is important. It was a sunny breezy beautiful day today. Not a cloud in the sky about74 degrees The sum was warm and the breeze smelled like "fall" , like grass clippings and drying leaves sprinkled with the fragrance of fall flowers. Falling leaves from the trees as we walked in the shades of yellow, red, green and orange.
We went to Hudson Crossing Park. I love to spend time with you in nature,. I watched you run through the grass, staying a few steps behind you. I watched you and I couldnt help but smile from ear to ear. As you ran , you laughed and giggled,, I think the sound and feel of the leaves rustling under your feet amused you. Every so often you would trip over a tree trunk, topple over, get your hands and knees dirty, you would sit there for a minute, look at the dirt on your hands, you wouldnt cry, you'd simply investigate the dirt on your hands, Turning your hands back and forth, back and forth. Then youd look up at me and say "uh oh" so Id come down and squat beside you,, and reassure you "its ok" just a little dirt and I would show you how to brush it off. Youd brush it off and getback up and keep running. Every so often a brightly colored leaf would catch your attention. So you would stop and pick it up ,, some of the leaves from the old oak trees, as big as your head , you would hold it out to me and say "wow" ! ! ! On the way back to the car I spotted the biggest tree in the park. A tall stately tree that as far as trees go. could give the Sears Tower a run for its money,, it not only was tall but as it grew higher,, its branches spread wider as it embraced the sky and hovered over us like an upside down wedding dress. Its leaves were bright yellow and small and when the breeze blew they sort of "twinkled" . I said
"WOW Lily look,,, she said "Wowo" SUNSHINE ! and blew it a kiss.
Yes Lily,, it does look like Sunshine doesnt it ??? aaaahhhh if only adults could find this inner simplicity and happiness... Im working on it..
If your ever wanting to find out where to seek true joy and happiness, you can see that in the eyes of a toddler walking and running through the leaves. A single leaf can bring a smile to her face. A single leaf can bring her happiness and make her mind fill with wonder and awe. Before the time hits when children are taught "learned' behavior and material desires ,,, true happiness and wonder can be found in the simple things. Like nature. What a beautiful gift.
If only we all could run with abandon like children and think with unbridled amazement and awe. I have reached a point in my life where simple things mean SO MUCH MORE than the large material valued items that so many people seek to have. I find this joy and happiness in my children. Yesterday imparticular I had one of those "Simple happy days" I wished I had my camera with me, as I like to capture these moments in picture,, but sadly I didnt. Hope my words can help eveyrone to envision what I was seeing this day. Here is what I posted in my daughters journal.
Watching you experience simple joys really truly make me feel blessed. You make me see life through a new set of eyes. It's like ive been blind all this time and watchng you makes me see how incredible life can be. Makes me stop and think and KNOW what TRULY is important. It was a sunny breezy beautiful day today. Not a cloud in the sky about74 degrees The sum was warm and the breeze smelled like "fall" , like grass clippings and drying leaves sprinkled with the fragrance of fall flowers. Falling leaves from the trees as we walked in the shades of yellow, red, green and orange.
We went to Hudson Crossing Park. I love to spend time with you in nature,. I watched you run through the grass, staying a few steps behind you. I watched you and I couldnt help but smile from ear to ear. As you ran , you laughed and giggled,, I think the sound and feel of the leaves rustling under your feet amused you. Every so often you would trip over a tree trunk, topple over, get your hands and knees dirty, you would sit there for a minute, look at the dirt on your hands, you wouldnt cry, you'd simply investigate the dirt on your hands, Turning your hands back and forth, back and forth. Then youd look up at me and say "uh oh" so Id come down and squat beside you,, and reassure you "its ok" just a little dirt and I would show you how to brush it off. Youd brush it off and getback up and keep running. Every so often a brightly colored leaf would catch your attention. So you would stop and pick it up ,, some of the leaves from the old oak trees, as big as your head , you would hold it out to me and say "wow" ! ! ! On the way back to the car I spotted the biggest tree in the park. A tall stately tree that as far as trees go. could give the Sears Tower a run for its money,, it not only was tall but as it grew higher,, its branches spread wider as it embraced the sky and hovered over us like an upside down wedding dress. Its leaves were bright yellow and small and when the breeze blew they sort of "twinkled" . I said
"WOW Lily look,,, she said "Wowo" SUNSHINE ! and blew it a kiss.
Yes Lily,, it does look like Sunshine doesnt it ??? aaaahhhh if only adults could find this inner simplicity and happiness... Im working on it..
Daddys words of Wisdom,,,
A memory I put to writing that had on the long car ride home from Tulsa over the lovely and wonderful holiday week,,,,
Daddys words of wisdom.
I remember near the end,, the day we made the decision to proceed with hospice care in my home,, my father in his hospital bed, I, at his side, Lily, in the womb already showing signs of her inevitable arrival with each false contraction. All of us eagerly awaiting the discharge nurse to arrive,, giving us permission to bring him home to pass away in peace. My father looked over at me, smiled, patted my belly with his arm that he could barely lift and said,, "its gonna be ok" Tell her she's going to be ok. Everythings going to be alright sugar. That was a grandpa saying goodbye to a beautiful grandaughter he would never get the pleasure to meet or touch ,to hold, spoil, kiss on the head or bounce on his knee,, But despite it all he felt confident enough in me and in the world to know she, my daugher,, would be "ok" . It seems clear to me now what he meant, but at the time, nothing could have been foggier. The positive words of comfort and assertion from a man who was incessantly negative and who sadly probably didnt hear those affirmations much himself growing up.. An affirmation he probably spoke to himself often in times of struggle. This may seem surprising to many who knew him,, but ,,,, He made sure we heard them quite often as children and even as young adults. They say near the end we all have moments of clarity,, I suppose this was his shared moment of clarity to her. This was his blanket of soft comfort for her to carry her through her life from her grandpa. It makes sense now. throughout my life, whenever I had struggles ,, he would pat me on my butt or later in life ,, on my hand ,,,and say those very same words to me,, "its gonna be ok" and for some reason,, I believed it,, and all seemd right with the world.
Now ,, when I, or my chldren face a time of struggle,, I will cover my children and myself in grandpas blanket of comfort with the most simple, yet meaningful worlds I know,, "Its gonna be ok" and,,, so it will...
Sorry for seeming a little down and depressing,,, just wanted to share this memory I had and to remind myself and everyone that when life gives you lemons,, MAKE LEMONADE ! Tell yourself some positive words of affirmation to get YOU through whatever struggles you may have .....
Daddys words of wisdom.
I remember near the end,, the day we made the decision to proceed with hospice care in my home,, my father in his hospital bed, I, at his side, Lily, in the womb already showing signs of her inevitable arrival with each false contraction. All of us eagerly awaiting the discharge nurse to arrive,, giving us permission to bring him home to pass away in peace. My father looked over at me, smiled, patted my belly with his arm that he could barely lift and said,, "its gonna be ok" Tell her she's going to be ok. Everythings going to be alright sugar. That was a grandpa saying goodbye to a beautiful grandaughter he would never get the pleasure to meet or touch ,to hold, spoil, kiss on the head or bounce on his knee,, But despite it all he felt confident enough in me and in the world to know she, my daugher,, would be "ok" . It seems clear to me now what he meant, but at the time, nothing could have been foggier. The positive words of comfort and assertion from a man who was incessantly negative and who sadly probably didnt hear those affirmations much himself growing up.. An affirmation he probably spoke to himself often in times of struggle. This may seem surprising to many who knew him,, but ,,,, He made sure we heard them quite often as children and even as young adults. They say near the end we all have moments of clarity,, I suppose this was his shared moment of clarity to her. This was his blanket of soft comfort for her to carry her through her life from her grandpa. It makes sense now. throughout my life, whenever I had struggles ,, he would pat me on my butt or later in life ,, on my hand ,,,and say those very same words to me,, "its gonna be ok" and for some reason,, I believed it,, and all seemd right with the world.
Now ,, when I, or my chldren face a time of struggle,, I will cover my children and myself in grandpas blanket of comfort with the most simple, yet meaningful worlds I know,, "Its gonna be ok" and,,, so it will...
Sorry for seeming a little down and depressing,,, just wanted to share this memory I had and to remind myself and everyone that when life gives you lemons,, MAKE LEMONADE ! Tell yourself some positive words of affirmation to get YOU through whatever struggles you may have .....
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